Prue Phillipson - Hordens of Horden Hall

by Height of Folly

  German prince. How can that ever be right?”

  Deborah was compelled to respond. “John, you are living in the

  past. The law is above kings now and the law says we cannot have a

  Catholic monarch. If the second James had been wise and

  practised his faith quietly this would never have happened. Father

  is only trying to stop you from breaking the law. Would you not do

  the same if young Nat put himself in danger of arrest?” Her father shook his head at her. “I fear he is too angry for a

  history lesson, Deb. John, I will give you time to cool down and

  reflect.” He stood up stiffly.

  “No, don’t shut it. Don’t go away. Talk to me. Tell me why you

  think the rising will fail. Scotland will flock to their true king when

  they see his standard raised on their shores. I mustbe there. And

  don’t you see, when the king comes into his own Iwill be able to

  save all of you from retribution for opposing him. If I ride now I can be there to greet him. Don’t you recall that day when I was three? You told me I would one day kiss his father’s hand and I was to remember how he waved to me. Heis dead but I can kiss his son’shand, my lawful monarch. How dare you deny me that? Did you not boast that you kissed Charles’hand? It impressed me so much. You spoke with your true king, face to face. Oh let me go,

  Father! For pity’s sake, open that trap and let me out.”

  Jeanetta appeared at the kitchen door. She had heard the last

  words. Deborah saw that she had taken care with a pretty coral

  pink dress and matching ribbons and touched up her face again. “John!” she screamed, running to the slit where she could just

  make him out and turning furious eyes on Daniel. “You brute, how

  dare you keep him down there. John, are you starving?” “Why should he be starving?” her father said with astonishing

  coolness after the passion that had been poured out. “He has had

  the same meal as all of us and it is still not quite the hour for

  dinner. What I have done, Jeanetta, has been for you and the

  children as well as for John himself.”

  Deborah could see how her beauty moved her father. He had

  always loved to look on her, whatever her mood.

  John shouted up, “You’ve not done it for our children. Do you

  think she wants them to be ashamed of his father?”

  “That’s it,” Jeanetta said. “We want to be proud of him and

  you’re stopping him and we’ll all be disgraced with him. How can I

  go back to France and tell my family he wasn’t there when the king

  came?”

  “Did they know he was a Jacobite?”

  “Well no, only my Uncle Neury.”

  “And would they have approved?”

  “My father and mother are not much bothered about politics.

  King Louis would because he’s sent troops to put James back on

  the throne. And King Louis would have made John a Chevalier of

  France or something.”

  John yelled to her, “Don’t talk to them of France, Netta. They

  don’t care about France or the true faith or anything. Just get me

  out of here or I’ll go mad.”

  Deborah could see that Frederick was hesitating outside. The

  March day was bright but cold. She got up and went out and

  brought him in. He looked down at the tiny gap by the trap door

  and spoke softly to her father.

  “Sir, Lady Horden has sent from the Hall to know when dinner

  is wanted. We were all to go over there for it. And the tailor is still

  waiting.”

  “Tell her half an hour,” her father said. “And, Frederick, you go

  and have the tailor do your repairs. The wedding preparations are

  to go ahead as planned.”

  John must have guessed who was there. “Branford, you villain,

  I’ll never forgive you for this.”

  Deborah murmured, “Don’t answer him. The day will come

  when he’ll thank you.” She took his arm and walked outside with

  him. “I can’t imagine how much everyone at the Hall understands

  of what has happened. Will Smyth is still there. Will he have told

  all he knows?”

  “No, he’ll press his lips together and look sly.”

  “But talk must be buzzing among the servants if Matt is locked

  up. Mother and Grandmother and Ruth will be completely

  bemused. And oh Frederick, what about your mother? Will she

  still want you to marry into this madhouse when she knows all?” He pressed her hand on his arm. “I’ll warrant she’ll enjoy the

  excitement. But I will paint John in the best light I can, a man who

  believed whole-heartedly in a cause and was ready to die for it.” She nodded. “Good. I love you. Go now.” He went. In the kitchen she saw that Peter and Joseph had eased the

  trap door open a little more, enough to pass in a fresh lantern and

  a hunk of bread and cheese and a flask of ale.

  John’s upstretched arms could just reach them when he stood

  on the bottom step. The stone steps came up to the side that was

  still covered. Deborah was amazed to see him accept the gifts in

  silence.

  “How have you quieted him?” she whispered to her father. “I told him that if his friends knew he was imprisoned they

  would not look on him as a traitor. He knows I will not let him out

  unless he swears a solemn oath that he will never again join them

  and that he will not do.”

  He ordered the trap to be closed.

  “Oh Father it seems so cruel.”

  “I never thought I would do such a thing to my worst enemy, let

  alone my own son. You two,” he said to the men, “are to take turns

  on guard. Cook should be about somewhere and will see you are

  fed, but take no strong drink.”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Where has Jeanetta gone?” Deborah asked.

  “I suggested that to save John’s blushes when this is all over she

  should go and dine at the Hall and behave as naturally as possible.

  She has gone to get ready.”

  “Ready! She preened herself just to come down to the kitchen.

  What more does she need but to put a cloak on against the chill.” “Then that is what she has gone to get and to bring Maria who

  trails everywhere with her. She says she will say John is unwell. I

  cannot condone lies but I’m sure she will find the truth is already

  known. You go ahead, Deb. I will bring her myself to see she is not

  intending to try her charms on these men to let John out.”

  When she had gone Daniel felt uneasy at John’s sudden submissiveness. What if the shame was too great to bear? What if he had the means there to take his own life? He heard the mincing step of Jeanetta on the stair and went out into the passage. Maria was carrying her shawl but he could see no other change in her appearance.

  Cook and the scullery maid crept behind, looking guilty at deserting their kitchen. He told them to go in and give the men something to eat. They slipped past Jeanetta who had stopped on the stair when she saw him.

  “Oh!” She ground her teeth at him. “So, you’re still here.”

  She wasplanning to bribe Peter and Joseph to release John. “I wish to escort you to dinner at the Hall.”

  “And leave John to starve.”

  “He has been given better rations that he would get in a real

  prison. Come. This is a sad business but you are going to be calm and brave for John’s sake before servants and our guests.” He took her arm firmly and w
alked her through the kitchen. She was dragging her feet and looking back. Peter and Joseph sat on the wine crates munching on bread and cheese and regarding her with stolid faces. Cook and the scullery maid busied themselves cutting more bread and trying to look as if everything was normal.

  When they were outside Jeanetta looked up at him, her eyes huge and pleading. “I would never have believed you of all people, always so kind and generous, could have tortured your own son like this.” He set his face and kept walking her along the woodland path. She persisted, “Do you think I can sit in company and eat a dinner with my beloved shut up in a hole?”

  She continued like this all the way and he patted her hand from time to time but could think of nothing to say. His thoughts were now on what Eunice would say to him. Deborah would have told her everything. John was her precious baby. He was surprised she had not already come running to demand his release.

  They emerged from the path onto the lawn before the Hall and Eunice was there on the doorstep watching for him. She would see how he was almost dragging Jeanetta along, ignoring her upturned face and her frantic pleas and she would know he was hating it all. But what she would say herself was, despite their years of marriage, a mystery to him.

  She took Jeanetta’s other arm. “Come, you must put a good face on it, my dear, for all our sakes.” It was what he had said himself.

  “But do you know what he has done? Put my John in that horrid dungeon.”

  “I know.” Eunice was looking up at him with a very steady gaze. “I didn’t know you had so much strength of will, Daniel. You have surprised me.”

  “You are not angry?”

  “Angry! That you have almost certainly saved his life? No, I admire your courage because I know how much your soft heart must have loathed to do it.”

  “Soft heart!” cried Jeanetta.

  “Hush. They are all ready for us in the dining-room. Now for John’s sake behave with dignity, my dear. When he comes back into the fold he will be glad to know you bore yourself well.”

  Daniel, blessing Eunice in his heart for her words of praise, saw that his mother, Deborah, Frederick, Ruth and Lady Branford were already seated. There was no place laid for John. They had obviously fallen silent as soon as the front door opened and they must have heard what had passed in the hallway. So there were five faces turned to them as they came in. Each seemed to be waiting for someone else to speak first in this extraordinary situation.

  Eunice broke the silence. “Daniel, will you say grace?”

  He stumbled through his customary words without adding anything special and they sat down. Jeanetta was quivering with suppressed sobs beside his mother. She put an arm round her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. Deborah and Ruth who always served the dishes from the side table rose to do it.

  It was Lady Branford who broke the awkwardness of the occasion. “You mustn’t mind me being here you know. Deborah has made it all clear to me. As long as we can still see these two safely married I can only say I will grieve with those who are grieving and laugh when it is all resolved and we can rejoice together. At least I can say of the dear boy who is missing that I admire his clinging to his principles but admire even more the steadfastness of all of you that want to save him from them. There now, have I spouted a paradox, Fred. Is that what you call a contradictory sort of saying?”

  Daniel had to admire her. She was actually smiling round at them all and trying to raise a laugh under the most inauspicious of circumstances. Frederick he could see looked a little embarrassed, but Mother Bel was happy to put in her word.

  “Thank you, May, you’ve put that beautifully.” Gracious heavens, they are May and Bel already, he thought. “But I would like to visit the dear boy who is missing,” she added.

  Then Eunice had her say. “Mother Bel, I claim the right of first visit. Our Lord told us to visit prisoners but I never thought my son would be in such a predicament. I can barely eat for thinking of him cold and alone and suffering in his mind and if you will excuse me in five minutes I will go to him. He needs to hear that his mother endorses heartily the action taken – as I understand it

  – first by you, Frederick, in response to Deborah’s anxiety and wisely continued by you, Daniel. Jeanetta, I know you will not agree with that –”

  She squeaked, “I didn’t want him to go unless it was a great success.”

  “No, well that we won’t know for some days, but I beg you to believe that what has been done has been done out of love, for him and for you and the children.”

  She took two more mouthfuls of the beef stew that Cook-maid had had gently cooking on the trivet over the kitchen fire for two hours. “Tell cook it was very good but I will miss her pudding today. Will you let me leave you?”

  It crossed Daniel’s mind that if Peter and Joseph moved the trap door a crack her anguish at seeing her boy in such a strait might overcome her and she would have to let him out. It was a risk but he must trust her after what she had said to him.

  “Yes, go Eunice. The men there will give you a slit to speak through. It takes two to move the door.”

  Eunice rose. As she went out she said, “I can pray with him through a slit.”

  Deborah waited till they heard the front door shut, then she said, “It’s all right, Father. Don’t worry about Mother. She’s not going to let him out.”

  Jane tapped and looked round the door.

  “If you please, Sir Daniel, Cook says has she to send a bowl of stew to Matt in the stable block? Elspeth’s crying that he’ll be hungry.”

  “Tell Elspeth she may take him some but Luke and Walter must go with her to see he can’t break out. I will come and speak with him later.”

  Jane bobbed and went out.

  “Matt became very close to John when we were in France,” Deborah said. “You won’t let him go yet, will you, Father? If he was free he might ride off to join the rebels and report how we prevented John from going. And if he was arrested Horden Hall would be tainted with the name of treason.”

  Ruth sat up, open-mouthed. “Oh Deb, that mustn’t happen or Simon won’t marry me. His father is on the council in York and supports the Whigs in Parliament.”

  Daniel looked at his younger daughter in surprise. “That’s the first time I‘ve ever heard you mention politics.”

  “They’ve never been exciting till now.”

  Daniel looked at his mother. “Are youfinding this disaster exciting, Mother Bel?”

  “The only excitement Iwant is my Deb’s wedding. I shall tell John that he has no right to spoil the occasion for her.”

  Jeanetta spoke up. “It won’t be John who spoils it. A great Jacobite army may come marching by and take prisoner all who don’t support them. Then I’lltell them how you stopped John from joining them and you’ll all be sorry. They’ll probably fire the Hall.”

  Daniel frowned her down. “Jeanetta, when Eunice comes back don’t you dare say such a thing in front of her. You know Deborah was born when the Hall was on fire. I will not have fire mentioned at her wedding. We have talked enough of this wretched business. If there isa rebel army it will only fight if opposed by government troops. It would be madness for them to alienate the civilian population.” He stood up. “I think we have all finished. Let us disperse.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  When John heard the trap door being scraped back he was ready for it. He had eaten every scrap of food and drunk the ale. If I am to ride I must be fortified, he told himself. And I will ride. If I have to knock Father to the ground I will do it. He has no right on earth to stop me.

  The iron bar he had found in a corner of the dungeon and which he had used so far in wild hammerings, he would wedge in the gap when it was next opened. He had upturned an empty crate on the bottom step and climbed onto it. He planned to manoeuvre the bar so far into the gap that he would be able to lever the trap door along. Of course they would try to stop him. They would grab at the bar and he would strike their fingers with it. It was a wi
ld hope but they would see how desperate he was. If he could get his hands over the lip they would not dare to crush them. There must be limits to how far they would go.

  The scraping sound was accompanied by a voice as soon as there was the tiniest of openings. His mother! That was a blow. He couldn’t risk hurting his mother but surely he could move her by persuasion not force. Standing on the crate he lowered the bar and laid it by his feet.

  “Mother! You’ve come to let me out of here?”

  “No John. Unless you will give me your word not to run away.” “I can’t do that. I am pledged to the cause.”

  “A Bible oath?” She sounded horrified.

  “No, but some chose to swear to me on their Bibles that they

  would come when called. What will they think of me if it is I who fail?”

  “It is pride that feels shame at failure. If you had been humble you would never have found yourself in this predicament. I come only for your physical comfort while we restrain you from this desperate enterprise. I will insert this thick woollen rug through the hole. Wrap yourself in it and I will find another for you to lie on at night.”

  “Night! You will not leave me here all night.”

  “If we must to save your life, we will.”

  “Why do you all speak of this thing as if it would end in

  bloodshed? You will look fools if Deb is wed in Nether Horden church while a great army of Scots, French and English are marching by on the road from Edinburgh to London. More will join at Newcastle and from all the towns on the route. And of this family I only will be on the side of right and truth.”

  “But it is not right to take up arms against your lawful government.”

  “Father thought it right that Cromwell’s government was overthrown. The true king came back then and was welcomed by the whole nation. The same will happen this time and you are stopping me from being there by this cruel restraint.”

  He was proud of this argument. She must be wavering.

  “John, you have judged history wrongly. Cromwell was corrupted by power and had become a cruel tyrant. Our present queen is ruling with parliament and the consent of the nation.”

  “And when she dies without issue the crown should go to James where it should have gone when his father tamely abandoned his duty as king. The nation will not accept the rule of a German prince.”